Web-restraining attachment for knitting machines



Sept. 2 1925;

H. G. G- QUERNS WEB RESTRAINING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 5, 1924 INVENTOR: Harry 6% G. Querns, Y m

TORNE Ys IVebJtestraining- Attachments for Knittin Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

mess G. a. arenas, 0F PHILADELPHIA, ssaassmvimi.

as esses-Amine ATTACHMENT as. xitrrcttnc} MACHINES.

Aiiiii eation fired time 5,

To all whom it; ma concern:

Be it knownthat IyHARRY G.- G. Qonnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in g Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention. relates generally to knitting machines, and more specifically stated, is. concerned with means for preventing the fabric from rising with the needles as the latter are advanced to take new yarn. In certain classes of machines web holders or sinkers are employed in individual association with the needles to hold down the fabric at the critical periods; while in others, this function is relegated to draft rolls by which the fabric is continuously taken up concurrently with its production by the knitting instriimentalities of the machine. Mo're especially in the latter class of knitting machines, difficulty has been experienced in preventing the formation of tuck stitches when stiff, springy or unyielding yarns, such for example as artificial or fibre silk, are fed to. the needles notwithstanding the constant pull. on the fabric by the draft or take up rolls.

The purpose of my invention is to overcome this difliculty, andone way in which this can be conveniently accomplished will be readily understood from the detailed description which follows of a typical embodiment thereof, the appended claims serving to define those features which I believe to be novel and therefore patentable.

In the drawings, Fig. I is a partial plan view of a circular knltting machine characterized by several loop forming stations or locations, and having my invention embodied therein.

Fig. II is a partial front elevation at one of the loop forming stations of the machine; and

Fig. III is a detail cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. I.

The machine herein shown is of the type ordinarily used in knitting underwear and the like, and includes a cylinder 1, with longitudinally extending grooves 2 in its outer surface for individual guidance of the needles indicated at 3, The means employed 1M4.- srial N6. 717,933.

in reciprocating the needles 3 topi'oduce the fabric may be of standard construction and is therefore omitted from the drawings. In the present connection it may howeverbe assumed that the needle actuating means comprises appropriate cams to cause the needles to follow the conventional stitch formingjpath or wave shown in Figure 11, at several locations of stations about the knitting head, two ofsuch locations or stations being indicated at S in Figure I. At each location S, a suitable feed (not shown) serves to direct a yarn Y (Figure at an inclination and in proper coordination with the needle wave after a manner well known in the knitting arts.

Concentrical'ly aligned with respect to the cylinder land positionedat a level somewhat above the top of the latter, is a circular plate 5 that may be supported in stationai'y relation to said cylinder by appropriate means, not shown; To the periphery of this plate I attach at each location or station S, a restraining means 6 adapted to prevent the fabric web F froinrising as the needles 8 are advanced or projected vertically to take the yarn Y, this means constitutlng the basis of the present invention. As shown in Figure II, theweb restralnlng means Gjust referred to, isof angular crosssection, or in other words comprises an upstanding or vertical component 7 from the bottom of which projects laterally outward a horizontal component or flange 8. The portion 7 is provided with the elongated slots 9, 9 for passage of clamp screws 10 whereby the device may be secured to the periphery of the plate with provision of vertical adjustment of its flange 8 relative to the ledge 11 at the top of the needle cylinder 1 wherewith the needles 3 cooperate in forming the fabric loops, and upon which the fabric normally rests. The edge of the horizontal flange 8 of the device 6 1s curved concentrically with the axis of the cylinder 1, and adapted to contact with the needles 3 at the rear as in Figs. I and III, rounding of the edge as at 12 in the latter illustration serving to ease downward movement of the needles 8 in drawing the fabric loops.

The operation of the device will be best understood from Figure II wherein the needle wave at one of the regions or locations' S of loop formation is clearly represented. As the needles 3 are advanced from the normal level indicated at L to clear their latches preparatory to taking the yarn Y, the fabric web F is incidentally prevented from rising by the lateral component 8 of the device 6 which slightly overhangs the top of the needle cylinder 1, as shown. After being advanced to the upper level L as required for latch clearing, the needles 8 are retracted through two successive stages L and L in the usual manner, carrying the yarn Y with them and finally converting the same into the fabric loops at the region where their hooks are drawn below the ledge 11.

With the aid of my invention it will be seen that clearing of the latches of the needles 3 is absolutely assured, and the possibility of formation of tuck stitches or other attendant imperfections in the fabric absolutely avoided. The restraining device 6 may be regarded as an attachment applicable to standard types of knitting machines without requiring any alterations in them other than can be readily made by a mechanic skilled in the knitting arts. In practice it is possible to adapt machines which could not ordinarily be employed to knit with hard, springy, unyielding yarns, so that such yarns could be fed either singly or simultaneously with other yarns to the avoidance of fabric imperfections of the kind previously noted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination in a circular knitting machine comprising a cylinder and reciprocating needles, of a circular fixed support concentrically disposed with respect to the cylinder, and angular cross-section members capable of vertical adjustment on the periphery of said support, each aforesaid member embodying an upstanding compo nent whereby it is sustained and a lateral component adapted to contact with the rear of the needles on a level directly above the top of the needle cylinder at the region of loop formation, whereby the fabric is prevented from rising as said needles are advanced to take yarn.

2. The combination in a circular knitting machine wherein several yarns are fed at one time at as many separate loop forming regions to reciprocating needles, of a'circular fixed support, and angular cross-section members in the form of arcuate attachments adapted to be secured to the support at the respective regionsof loop formation, each attachment embodying upstanding and lateral components, said arcuate attachments being vertically adjustable on the circular support and having the lateral components contacting with. the rear of the needles as well as slightly overhanging the ledge wherewith said needles cooperate in forming the fabric loops so as to prevent the fabric from rising as the needles are advanced to take yarn.

3. As an article of manufacture, a webrestraining attachment for circular knitting machines of a cross-section afiording vertical and lateral components, the lateral component being curved to conform with the reciprocatory path of the needles. and the vertical component provided with elongated slots whereby the attachment may be variably supported.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 3rd day of June, 1924.

HARRY G. G. QUEENS. 

